Sign



W. E. PRICE Aug. 27, 1929.

SIGN

Filed 000. 5, 1925 mvENToR I wmf/5 Pm A'rroRNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES man? PATENT oFFICE.

WILLIAM E. PRICE, OF WHITE FLAINS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AURORA BEACONCORPORATION, OF NEIN YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGN.

Application led ctober 3, 192.5. Serial N'o. 60,159.

This invention relates to display signs. An object of the invention isthe provision of a sign of the character described having display orlegendary matter thereon of novel construction adapted to produce ahighlyl artistic and attractive visual eli'ect, by means and arrangementof parts capable .ofbeing provided at a comparatively low cost and yetresulting in highly practical and ethcient surface for the purposesdescribed.

Y A further object of the invention is to provide a method forproducingsaid improved sign which shall be capable of being very easilyand cheaply carried out.

Other objects of thisinvention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out. v

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which `will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application-will be indicated in the following claims. f

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a sign embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 in Fig..1;

l Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3fin Fig. 1showing the interior construction;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 4 4 inFig. 3 showingtheconstruction of the fabric forming the lettering;

Fig. 5'isa front elevational view of a signhaving a modified form ofsign plate embodying the invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 6 6 in Fig. 5;and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 7 7 in Fig. 6.

notes on electrically illuminated sign having a legend plate 11embodying the invention. Said sign is seenv to comprise a casing 1,2constructed in any well known manner to house an electric lightingfitting 13 and lamps 14, the latter `being adaptedto connect with asuitable power source (not shown) through conductor wires 15 forlighting the interior of the casing.

The legend plate 11 forms an enclosing a fire resistant.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 deside of the casing, andpreferably is made demountable to permit interchanging plates and thereversing thereof when the sign is constructed to be selectively usedeither suspended as shown in Fig. 1, or reversed and supported below asshown in Fig. 5.

The construction of the legend plate will now be described. In the formshown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a sheet 11a of metal,

fibre, composition or other suitable material is made of the proper sizeand shape to serve as the side wall of the casing 12, said materialpreferably being formed into a relatively stiff backing member. l

A desired legend 11b of plain or intricate configuration in the form ofletters, symbols or ornamentation is outlined or stencilled lon saidsheet andsaid legend cut out in any well known manner. A strip 11c offiexible fabric such .as textile fabric, paper, or other like materialwhich is trans-- lucent or may be made so, is applied to the rear sideof the sheet 11, and portions 11d of said-strip are drawnthrough thecutout lportions of the back member to project beyond the front sidethereof, thus forming a raised or embossed protuberance. For artisticeffect, the projecting or intaglio surfaces 11d of said protuberancesare preferably left uneven and irregular to simulate rough cut stone. Tosecure the strip 11c and intaglio surface 11d in a fixed position, asuitable adhesive such as sodium silicate, shellac, varnish, lacquer, orother like sub-v stance is employed and preferably applied to both sidesof the strip. Thus the strip l1C may be china silk, coated with sodiumsilicate S, the latter then also serving as Shellac, varnish, or lacquerL mayy preferably be used in place of the sodium silicate as an adhesiveand coating where the sign is exposed to moisture. (See Fig. 7 Towater-proof the strip a sodium silicate-coated strip, a surface coating,of shellac, varnish, or lacquer L may be provided, as shown in Fig. 4.

Any of the aforementioned substances, when lapplied to the strip anddried is effective to stiflen the intaglio portions 11d for retainingthem in their proper shape, `said portions then forming what is commonlytermed an unbreakable structure which is highly efficient as a lightdiffusing medium because of its texture. f

For holding the unattached portion 11e of the backing sheet 11aincorporated in the legend against accidental displacement, boWedbridging arms 16 are provided for anchoring said portion 11e inalignment With the rear side of said sheet, said arms being made oftransparent material or of relatively thin Wires Which can cast only animperceptible shadow across the translucent legend. As is clearly shownin Fig. 3, the ends of said arms 16 are soldered or cemented to the rearside of said hacking sheet i 11a and the portions 11c in the Well-knownmanner. y

The interior of the backing sheet 1la is provided vvith a suitable lightreflecting surface R, as for example White paint, or metallic foil, toincrease the interior illumination of the sign. 'Io produce coloredlighting effects, the lamps 14 may be colored and provided Withautomatic circuit-making and breaking means in the Well understoodmanner, or slide holding means 17 may be provided on the rear side ofthe plate 11 for removably holding a color slide 17a over the cut-outportions of the backing member 11a. The outer background surface of theplate 11 may be given any desired finish by painting, polishing,plating, engraving, or hammering to form a pebbled surface.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shovvn a modified form of construction of plate 11.Here the outer back-ground surface is provided With a coating material18 such as a textile fabric of velv-et, silk, or the like material. Saidmaterial is preferably secured to the plate by a suitable adhesive andthe legend cut through prior to forming the intaglio portions asdescribed above.

Itis apparent that the sign 10 is very practical since it can be easily,simply, and inexpensively fitted with legend plates incorporating stylesof lettering to suit any individualistic taste and does not requireexpensive molding or other apparatus or equipment for its construction.

Furthermore, the sign 10 when illuminated has also been found to beefcient to a high degree being legible from a relatively large distancedue to the fact that the rear side of the plate is smooth and even, isfree from all projecting portions that might form shadows to obscure orblur the legend, and because the intaglio portions are formed of atranslucent structure which is thin and highly effective as a lightdiffusion medium.

Where signs in which the display or legendary portions are made to standup from the back-ground, the cost of manufacture has been considerablyhigh, particularly Where display portions comprise intricate figures,symbols, or designs Which had first to be molded or otherwise formed andthen applied to the body portion of the sign.

Briefly described, a dominant feature of this invention is the simplemeans and method for producing the raised effect accomplished as abovedescribed and whereby any complicated or intricate design may beartistically produced on the sign in a very cheap-and highly effectivemanner.

It Will'thus be seen that there is provided a device in Which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is Welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shovvn in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and ,desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. An article vof manufacture comprising a signhaving a backing plate, said plate having portions cut therefrom to forma legend, a flexible, pliable material` drawn through said cut portionsto project irregularly beyond the front surface of the plate to form anembossed pliable structure and means extending over said projectedinate- I,

rial for retaining said retained structure in a set position,saidstructure being entirely translucent and adapted to serve as adiffusion medium for light illuminating the rear side of said plate.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a sign having an opaque backingplate, said plate having portions cut therefrom to form a legend,members projecting avvay from the plane of the plate for retaining uncutportions of saidV` plate in positions, a flexible material. drawnthrough said cut portions to form a protuberance on' the front surfaceof the plate, said members being formed of translucent material so as tobe substantially non-shadow casting over said protuberance when saidplate is illuminative and surface means for retaining said protuberancein a Set Shape. v

3. In a sign, a backing plate having perforated portions forming alegend, a iexible, pliable material extending along the rear surface ofthe plate, portions of said fabric loosely projecting through theperforations beyond the front surface of the plate to form a raisedirregular structure, and an adhesive coating for securing said fabric tothe plate, ysaid coating when dry serving to stiften and retain saidraised structure in a set position. j

4. Ina sign, a backing plate having perforated and detached` portionsforming a legend, al flexible material secured to the reary surface ofthe plate, portions of said fabric projecting through the perforationsbeyond the front surface of the plate to cut-out portions to form thelegend as a protuberance on the front side of the plate, applying a filmtranslucent coating to the said protuberance for stiffening andretaining same in shape, and anchoring the detached portions to the rearslide of the uncut portions of the plate, and surfacing the rear side ofthe uncut portions of the plate with 20 a light deflecting means.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

WILLIAM E. PRICE.

